J1 gaining five stores but losing bowling alley

SHOPPING in the borough continues to expand, with the Junction One Retail and Leisure Park the latest to announce a new development.

The Leicester Road shopping venue has applied for permission to build five new units on unused land, three of which will take on stores that are set to leave the neighbouring Elliott's Field Retail Park when it is redeveloped.

The park, however, is set to lose one of its leisure attractions with the closure of the Rugby Superbowl bowling alley, due to lack of demand which has led to it being heavily and 'unsustainably' subsidised for the last three years.

The five new units will be built on land situated between Frankie & Benny's and Cineworld, together with car parking and landscaping.

Three of the units will be the new homes of Carpetright, Pets at Home and Brantano, who will leave Elliott's Field as it moves towards a more fashion-led range of shops.

The retailers, their staff and customers will be retained in the town thanks to the Junction One expansion.

A planning application submitted by Indigo Planning stated: “If high quality accommodation is not provided for their relocation it is highly likely that Rugby will lose them."

The developer has revealed it is trying to attract 'further large-format retailers not currently represented in Rugby' and that the remaining two units are the subject of ongoing negotiations with such retailers.

The expansion is expected to provide around 100 jobs, including those retained from the relocating stores.

Rugby Borough Council economy spokeswoman Coun Heather Timms said: “Rugby is one of the fastest growing towns in the country, and the council is determined to keep driving the borough’s economy forward.”

No date has yet been set for the closure of the bowling alley, but an unnamed retailer is understood to be in advanced talks to take up the unit and a planning application has been submitted for change of use to a non-food retailer.

It is hoped the new units will be given planning permission in the first quarter of 2014 and completed by the end of next year.

This may, however, be held up by the delay to work beginning at Elliott's Field, due to a judicial review launched by rival shopping centre Clock Towers.

* See page 11 for the latest on the Clock Towers development, and page 5 for details of another new store coming to the town centre.

Buy photos» The Superbowl on the Junction 1 retail park is set to close. 48.013.041.rug.jm1

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